Rob Smith: AFC Telford a 'shambles' despite win

The visitors, who arrived at the New Bucks Head having won just twice all season, were only kept at bay by the brilliance of home keeper Callum Burton who denied both Micah Evans and Simon Richman.

Dave Hibbert then snatched victory for the Bucks with three minutes remaining but though the three points eased his team's relegation fears, Smith was left frustrated by the performance.

"I thought we were an absolute shambles, I really did," he said. "Don't get me wrong, I was sick of people saying it was an easy game.

"You just don't get them in this league and they are as good a side as I've seen. A lot of that was because we were so poor. Our application wasn't there, the commitment wasn't there, our passing wasn't there.

"How on earth we have come away with the win. We will take it all day long but we didn't deserve it.

"I've made it clear in the dressing room that is not acceptable. Whether we have started to believe in ourselves a little too much but we never did the dirty side of things. We never did enough. I just could not see where we were going to score from."

Altrincham fielded Stuart Tomlinson, who had spent the past three-and-a-half years as a WWE wrestler, in goal.

Smith added: "They had a goalkeeper who has not played for three years. He is not the most mobile but we did not test him enough.

"The one thing we said was ask the question. We did not put a single corner on him. Maybe we have earned the right to have a bad performance and have an ugly win but that was not good enough.

"We were absolutely atrocious. Maybe it will be the kick up the backside we need."

The win saw Telford climb five points clear of the National League North drop zone.

"It was a massive three points," continued Smith. "The whole aim is to get safe."